The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) Communications Center now has the improved ability to receive fast, accurate device location for 911 calls from cellular phones via the RapidSOS NG911 Clearinghouse.

When seconds count, accuracy matters. Current cellular technology gets us close to 911 callers who have called on a mobile device, but RapidSOS provides ever greater device-specific accuracy in less time, Trimming valuable seconds from our response time in an emergency will help us better serve our community.     

RapidSOS works for both iPhone and android phones, however iPhones must be updated to iOS 12. Call takers and dispatchers will only receive location information for phones that have called 911 within our jurisdiction, and only within the first 10 minutes after the call has been placed. The program does not require users to have location data turned on.

The ACSO Communications Center is currently using the RapidLite, a free version of the platform. In 2019, the platform will be integrated into our Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. That cost will be funded by the Arapahoe County E911 Emergency Communications Service Authority, which supports six dispatch centers or public safety answering points in Arapahoe County.

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